Card winding machine



May 29, 1951' B. c. cREEp L 2,554,355

CARD WINDING MACHINE Filed Dec. 12, 1946 4 sheets-sheet 1 May 29, 1951 B. c. cREED CARD WINDING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 12, 1946 May 29, 1951 B. c. cREED CARD WNDING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 12, 1946 277567Z af: ff/f 6.7 @feed 72V/ MMM/ May'29, 1951 B. c. cREED CARD WINDING MACHINE:

Filed Dec.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented May 29, 1951 CARD WINDINGMACHINE Bennett C. Creed, Hinsdale, Ill., assigner to Creed & Stewart, Ltd., Aurora, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application December 12, 1946, Serial No. 715,676

17 Claims. l

This invention relates to a machine for Winding tape on a card, known as a carding machine.

One object of the invention is to provide a simple, sturdy, compact machine for winding tape on cards.

A further object is to provide a machine which will positively wind a predetermined length of tape on a card.

A further object is to provide a carding machine with a positive stop so that the card, and all moving parts of the machine, are in precisely the same position at the end of each carding operation.

' A further object is to provide a carding machine which can be easily reset and readied for a new card at the end of each carding operation.

A further object is to provide a carding machine the gearing of which can readily be changed to provide for a varying number of throws in each row of tape on the card.

The invention is illustrated in a preferred embodiment in the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the carding machine with the cover removed;

' Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a left side elevation;

Fig. 4 is a partial section thereof taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a partial section thereof taken on the line 5--5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a section thereof taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a partial section thereof taken on the line I-l of Fig. 2; and Fig. 8 is a wiring diagram.

Referring to the drawings in greater detail, the carding machine has a bed plate 8 which is preferably bolted to a table 9, and side plates I and I I. A U-shaped card holder indicated generally at I2 consists of a cross-bar I3, secured at its central portion to a card holder shaft or rod I4, and parallel side arms I projecting from the cross bar I3, the cross bar I3 having equal, slight, opposed transverse bends a and b immediately adjacent the shaft I4, and bends c and d equal and opposite to the first bends immediately adjacent the side arms I5, so that the side arms I5 are parallel to and oppositely offset from the center line of the cross bar I3 (as best shown in Fig. al). The side arms I5 are furnished with spring clips Iii in which a card may be inserted. The offsetting of the side arms I5 slightly bends a card placed in the card holder I 2v so that when the card is removed with tape wound upon itethe straightening of the card causes the tape to t it snugly and thus prevents slipping of the Wound tape. The card holder shaft I4 extends through the side-plates Ill and II, and is journaled to rotate therein in bearings I'I and I8, which may be of bronze or other suitable material, and a spur gear I9 is secured thereto.

The machine is adapted to wind a predetermined number of parallel, non-helical rows of tape upon a card, each row having a predetermined number of layers of tape therein. This is accomplished by a unique winding guide which consists of a cam finger push rod 20 in parallel slidably mounted in the side plates lli and II in bearings 2| and 22, the push rod 20 being furnished with a tape-guide, indicated generally at 23, a cam linger indicated generally at 24, and a push plate 20a. The tape guide 23 consists of a collar 25 adapted to be secured to the slidable push rod 2B by means of a locking screw, an elongated tongue 25 secured to said collar, a spring linger 2'I secured to the tongue 26 adjacent the collar and extending parallel thereto, and a thumb screw 28 arranged to adjustably tension the spring linger 21 against the tongue 23. Tape, IOll, is carried on a spool (not shown) which may be mounted on a suitable rack secured to the table 9, and is fed between the tongue 26 and the spring finger 2l of the guide 23, and is held in tension by said tongue. Because of the relative positions of the card holder shaft I4 and the slidable push rod 2l), the tape guide 23 is best inclined toward the shaft I4 at an angle of about 30 from the vertical. The cam finger 24 is rigidly secured tothe slidable push rod 20 and projects angularly upwardly and inwardly therefrom, and is provided with a hole to accommodate a guide shaft 2S which is rigidly secured to the side plates Il) and II, and upon which the cam nger is free to slide. The cam finger 24 terminates in a spring pressed plunger 30 which is wedge shaped at its outer end. A coil spring 3| is rotatably mounted around a spring post 32 which is screwed into the bed` plate 8, said spring having a straight integral exi tension 32a which ts into a spring groove 24a in one face of the cam finger 24. A spring tensioning arm 32a is pivotally mounted on the top of the spring post 32 and may be locked thereon by means of a locking screw, the arm 32a being provided at its outer end with a pin 32D against which rests a second integral extension 3Ib of the coil spring 3l. Thus the spring pressure against the cam finger 24 may be adjusted by pivoting the arm 32a to any desired position and then locking it in place with the locking screw. A cam shaft 33 is located in parallel spaced relation to the slidable push rod 20, said cam shaft being rotatably mounted in bearings 34 and 35 in side plates I9 and II re-A spectively. The cam shaft 33 carries a control cam 36 which has a series of circumferential steps 31 progressing from one of its end surfaces toward the other, the drop from one step to the next being precisely equal to the width of the tape being Wound, and the last of the steps 31 communicating with an annular groove 38. The cam shaft 33 is provided with a change gear 39 located eXteriorly of the side plate Ill, said .gear

39 being in communication with a gear train, indicated generally at 40, whereby the cam shaft may be driven through one rotation 'for each complete carding operation. The spring-pressed plunger 3i! of the spring finger 24 is in contact with the stepped surface of the control cam 36, and as the control cam rotates the spring nger v24 is urged into the successive steps 31 by the action of the spring arm 3I a. The number of steps 31 on the cam 36 determines the number of rows of tape which will be wound upon a card held in the card holder I2, and the gearing of the cam shaft 33 determines the number of throws of tape which will be wound on each row, as will be fully explained hereafter.

The driving mechanism consists of an electric motor 4I, preferably of about 1/3 horsepower, mounted lon the under side of the table 9, and connected through a cone clutch 42 to a pulley shaft 43 which is carried in a pulley hub 43a secured to the under side of the table 9, and is furnished with a pulley 44. A V-belt 45 extends through coincident apertures in the table 8 and the bed plate 9 to drivingly connect the pulley Mito apulley 4S mounted on a drive shaft 41. The drive shaft 41 is rotatably mounted in bearings 48 and 49 located respectively in the side walls Il) and I I, and is furnished with a small spur gear 50 locked in a key-way therein, the spur gear being in driving communication with a large lintermediate spur gear 5I mounted in a key-way on an intermediate Vshaft 52, said shaft 52 being rotatably mounted in a bearing 53 in the side plate II 'and projecting through a bearing 54 in the side plate I, and having a small change gear 55 secured to its outer end. The intermediate gear 5I meshes directly with the spur gear I9 on the card holder shaft I4, thus driving the card holder directly; and the change gear -55 on the end of Athe intermediate shaft 52 drives the cam shaft 33 "through the gear train 49 and the change gear 39.

The gear train 4d includes a double change 'gear 56 which is Arotatably mounted on a rigid idler 'gear stud 51 and consists of a large gear 58 which meshes with the change gear 55 on the intermediate shaft and a small gear 59 which meshes with an idler change gear 5U, Ythe idler change gear 60 also meshing with the change gear 39 on the cam shaft. The idler change gear 60 i's'mounted in a bearing 5I in one arm of an I -shaped idler adjustment lever 82, said adjustment lever 62, being rotatably secured -on the idler gear stud 51 and having its other arm furnished with an arcuate slot 63 through which slot projects a lock stud 64 having a lock nut 65 thereon by which the idler adjustment lever 32 may be locked in place. The idler change gear 60 is thus adjustable in an arc about the idler vgear stud 51, so that it is possible to employ sev-V eral different sizes of change gear 39 on the cam shaft and thus to provide various ratios of rotation between the card holder shaft I4 and the cam shaft 33, thereby permitting easy adjustment of the machine to lay different predetermined numbers of layers of tape in each row of tape on a card.

A typical gear arrangement is as follows: a 24- tooth spur gear 50 on the drive shaft 41 meshing with a 1l2-tooth spur gear 5I on the intermediate shaft, the spur gear 5I meshing with a 32- tooth spur gear I9 on the card holder shaft; a 20-tooth change gear 55 on the intermediate shaft, lmeshing with an -tooth large gear 58 on the idler stud, a ZO-tooth small gear 59 on the idler stud, meshing with a Sil-tooth idler change gear .35, the gear 63 meshing with a 40- tooth change gear 39 on the cam shaft, gives a ratio' of 28 turns of the card holder shaft .I4 to one turn of the cam shaft 33. By exchanging the change gear 39 for one of a different sizel and adjusting the idler adjustment lever 52, the machine can be readily adjusted to wind any desired number of throws of tape upon a card held in the card holder I2; and to wind any desired number of yards of tape it is necessary only to select a card of appropriate width. Thus, with a 51A; inch card, if the change gear 39 on the cam shaft has 30 teeth, the ratio of rotation of card holder shaft to cam shaft is 21l, and 6 yards of tape will be wound on the card, Similarly, 40 tooth gear, 28-l. 8 yards; 50-tooth gear, 35-1, l0 yards; and 60-tooth gear, 42-1, 12 yards. Further adjustments may be made by means of suitable variations of the change gear 55 and the various change gears in the gear train 4D, or by selecting a card of different size.

Proceeding to the mechanism by which the machine is started and stopped, it consists generally of a combination of mechanical and electrical controls. As illustrated in the drawings, the machine is about half-way through a carding operation.

A clutch control solenoid 86 is secured to the under side of the table 9 by means of a bracket 61, and a clutch activator arm 68 is so located as to be cap-able of being moved bythe solenoid 66, said arm S8 being provided with `a -pin 69 which projects through an oval eye in one arm of a bell crank 18 so as to pivotally secure the arm 68 to vthe bell crank. The bell crank 10 is piv- .otally secured by means of a pin 1I to a lug 12 which is secured to the under side of .the table 9, and its other arm is formed into a fork 13, .the arms .of which are provided with oval eyes through which extend pins 14 to pivotally link the bell crank 10 and the pulley shaft 43. It is apparent that when the solenoid 66 is active it engages the cone clutch 42 against the force .of the clutch throw out spring 15, by drawing the clutch activator arm 68 downward `and pivoting the bell crank 19 about its pivot'I.

A lock control solenoid 16 is secured to the side plate II in spaced relationship to the intermediate shaft 52. A locking lever i1 is pivotally secured to a bracket 18 mounted on the machine bed plate 8, said lever having one of its ends pvotally secured to a locking lever activator arm 19 by means of a pin B, the arm 19 being so located as to lbe capable of being moved by the solenoid 16. The other end of the locking lever 11 terminates in a locking tooth BI. A locking vcam 82 is secured to the intermediate shaft 52,

and is 4provided with a single locking tooth 83.

vItis clear that when the solenoid 16 is active it retains the arm 19 in its raised position and thus holds the locking tooth 8| out of the path of the tooth 83 on the locking carn 82.

As best seen in Figs. '1 and 8, the solenoids 66 and 16 are wired in parallel, and are controlled by a relay switch 96 which in turn is controlled by a microswitch 84 which serves as a stop switch, and a push button switch 85 which serves as a start switch, the switches 84 and 85 likewise being wired in parallel. During a carding operation the micro-switch 84 is closed, and the start switch 85 is open. The micro-switch 84 is secured to a base 86 in close spaced relationship to the cam shaft 33, and the start switch 85 is secured beneath the bed plate 8 at one of the edge portions thereof.

A trip cam 81 is secured to the cam shaft 33 adjacent the'microswitch 84, and in such a position that at the end of a carding operation its trip dog 88 contacts the switch roller 89 of the micro-switch 84. This serves to open the circuit to the relay switch 96, thus opening the relay switch and thereby simultaneously de-activating both of the solenoids 68 and 16. The clutch throw-out spring opens the clutch 42, disengaging the motor 4| from the pulley shaft 43. The locking lever activator 19 drops by gravity to its lower position, moving the locking tooth 8| into the path of the tooth 83 on the locking cam 82, thus providing means by which the machine Stops with its parts in the same predetermined position at the end of each carding operation. The trip dog 88 remains in contact with the switch roller 89, thus keeping the circuit open until the machine is started again.

Starting is eiiected by means of the combined starter lever and release booster 98 which is loosely secured near one edge of the bed plate 8 by means of the straps 9|. The interior end portion 92 of the starter lever 98 is held above the bed plate 8 by an intermediate bearing point 93 and is directly below the locking lever activator 19, and the exterior end portion 94 of the lever 98 is U-shaped so that it contacts the start button 95 of the switch 85. Thus when downward pressure is exerted upon the lever 98, its interior end portion 92 boosts the locking lever activator 19 to its raised position, releasing the locking cam 82; and its exterior end portion 94 presses upon the start button 95, closing the circuit through the switch 85 and energizing the relay switch 98 so as to close it and thus energize both of the solenoids 66 and 16. The solenoid 66 engages the clutch 42 against the resistance of the clutch throw-out spring 15, and the solenoid 16 retains the locking lever activator 19 in its raised position. The starter lever 98 must be held down momentarily to permit the trip dog 88 to clear the switch roller 89 of the microswitch 84 and allow said switch to close, whereupon release of pressure on the lever 98 permits the start button 95 to return to its normal position, breaking the circuit through the start switch 85 and leaving the circuit closed through the micro-switch.

At the end of a carding operation the spring pressed plunger 38 of the cam finger 24 is in the annular groove 38 of the control cam. To prepare for a new winding sequence the operator need only cut the tape |88 near the card, tuck the loose end under an adjacent-row of tape, and remove the fully wound card from the card holder. The new sequence may then be started by placing a new card in the card holder I2, pushing the slidable push rod 28 to its rear-most position, thus forcing the spring pressed plunger 38 out of the annular groove 38 and returning the cam nger 24 to its original position on the first step of the cam 36, placing the loose end of tape on the new card underneath one of the spring clip I6, and pressing downwardly upon the combined starter and manual booster lever 98. In ordinary operation the motor 4I runs continuously, and a separate switch (not shown) is provided for the purpose of starting and stopping the motor 4|.

The operation of the machine is believed to be clear from the above description. Upon pressing the starter lever 98, the switch is closed, thus closing-the relay switch 96 and causing the solenoids 16 and 66 to operate respectively to unlock the locking cam 8| and to engage the clutch 42. The motor 4|, driving through the clutch 42, the pulley shaft 43, and the belt 45, drives the drive shaft 41 through the pulley 46 thereon, and the card holder shaft |4 is driven at a relatively high rate of speed through the spur gears on the drive shaft 41, the intermediate shaft 52, and the card holder shaft itself. The change gear 55 on the end of the intermediate shaft 52 simultaneously drives through the gear train 48 to rotate the cam shaft 33 at a relatively slow rate. Tape |88 is wound onto several layers on one row as the cam 36 rotates with the spring pressed plunger 38 of the cam nger 24 remaining on the first step of the cam 36. When the cam 36 has rotated through a suiiicient angle, the cam finger 24 drops oi the rst step of the cam face and thespring arm 3m slides the slidable push rod 28 the width of one row of tape. A second row of several layers of tape is thereupon laid immediately adjacent the first row, this operation continuing until the card has had the predetermined amount of tape wound upon it. At this time the spring pressed plunger 38 in the end of the cam finger 24 drops into the annular groove 38 on the cam 36, and the trip cam 81 strikes the switch arm 89 to open the circuit to the relay switch 98 and thus deactivate the solenoids 66 and 16 and stop the operation of the machine by permitting the clutch 42 to open and the locking tooth 8| to move into the path of the tooth 83 on the locking cam 82.

If desired, the machine may be furnished with a counter which is tripped each time the slidable push rod 28 is returned to its rearward starting position, and the total yardage wound by the machine thus may be recorded.

The foregoing detailed description has been 'given for clearness of understanding only, and

parallel to the axis of rotation of said card holder as said control cam is rotated, means for locking said two rotatable elements in a predeter- -mined position, and a rotatable cam shaft on which said control cam is mounted, the axis of rotation of said cam shaft being parallel with the axis of rotation of said card holder.

2- A Card,- windingmachine according @claim 1 wherein means are provided for releasingv said locking means, and said cam shaft axis is laterally spaced from said cardholden axisand the axis of rotation of the. cam shaft when extended intersects` the area of rotation of the card holder.

3. A card winding machine according to claim l wherein means are provided for Varying the ratio of rotation of the controlv cam to the card holder, said last mentioned means comprising a gear train having a swingable idler gear adapted to mesh with a fixed size gear and variable size gears.

4. A card winding machine comprising, a rotatabler card holder, a rotatable control cam having a series of circumferential steps progress,- ing from one of its endv surfaces toward the other, driving means, an intermediate shaft adapted to transmit rotational-,motion from said driving means to both said rotatable means in such manner that sai-d control cam is driven through only one revolution in each caroling operation, means for disengaging said driving means from said intermediate shaft, a tape guide movable parallel to the axis of rotation of the card holder, resilient means urging said tape guide in one direction, means associated with said tape guide adapted to permit intermittent motion thereof asv-the control cam is rotated, a locking cam on saidintermediate shaft, a locking member adapted to be. moved into engagement with said locking cam, means for simultaneously disengaging said driving means from said intermediate shaftand engaging said locking member with said locking cam, and means rotatable with the control cam for activating said means` for disengaging the driving means and engaging the locking member.

5. A card winding machine according to claim 4 wherein the means for simultaneously disengaging the driving means and engaging the locking member comprises an electric circuit having a solenoid adapted to retain the driving means in driving connection with the intermediate shaft, a second solenoid adapted to, retain the lockingl member in a disengaged position, and a switch adapted to be lopened by av member rotatable with the control cam.

6. In a card winding machine having a rotatable card holder, a tape guide movable parallel to the axis of' rotation of the card holder, and a rotatable control cam having a series of steps progressing in a direction parallel with the axis of rotation ef the cam from one of its end sur faces toward the other for causing intermittent motion of the tape guide, said tape guide including a longitudinally movable push rod, and a cam finger on said rod successively movable into the steps of said series as the cam rotates.

7. In a card winding machine according to claim 6, resilient means urging the tape guide push rod in one direction, the push rod being parallel with the axis of rotation of said control cam.

8. In a card winding machine having a ro.- tatable card holder, a winding guide comprising a slidable guide rod having a tape guide secured thereto, resilient means urging said guide rod in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of said card holder, and a rotatable cam having a series of circumferential steps progressing from one of its end surfaces toward the other and coacting with said guide rod to control the motion thereof, the axis of rotation of the cam being 8 parallel toA the, airis,k of.,v rotation of the card holder.

9. In a card winding machine having a rotatable card holder, a rotatable control cam having a series of steps progressing from one of its end surfaces toward the other and having the last of said steps communicating with an annular groove, a slidable guide rod having a tape guide secured thereto, a rigid cam finger secured to said guide rod and having a spring pressed plunger at its outer end adapted to contact the seriesV of steps on said control cam, and resilient means urging said slidable, guide rod in one direction, movement of said guide rod inv said one direction being terminated by said plunger passing from the last step into said. annular groove.

10. In a card winding machine having a control cam shaft which makes only one revolution for each carding operation, a stop mechanism comprising a single tooth locking cam secured to a second shaft adjacent said control cam shaft which rotates at a substantially higher rate of speed than does the control cam shaft, means for driving both said shafts simultaneously, a locking member adjacent said locking cam and adapted to be moved into the path of rotation of the perimeter thereof, means for retaining the locking member out of said path, and means on the control cam shaft and rotating therewith for releasing the locking member for motion into said path. i

l1. In a card winding machine, a rotatable control cam, a rotatable locking cam on a shaft spaced from the axis of said control cam, means for rotating said cams continuously at different speeds during a winding operation, a pivotally mounted locking lever having a locking end adjacent said locking cam and adapted to engage therewith, means adjacent the other. end ofsaid lever for releasably holding the locking end in itsy disengaged position, and means including a cam rotatable with said control cam operable upon the completion of a winding operation to release said holding means and thereby release said locking lever from said last named means.

12. In a card winding machine, a rotatable control cam, a rotatable locking cam, means for driving said two rotatable members, a clutch interpositioned between said rotatable members and the driving means, means fory disengaging said clutch, a locking member adapted to be engaged with said locking cam, and means in- -cluding a cam rotatable with said control cam operable upon the completion ofa winding operation to cause operation of the clutch disengaging means and the locking member for effeeting the simultaneous disengagement of the clutch and engagement ofl the locking member.

13. In a card winding machine having a rotatable card holder, a rotatable cam shaft, driving means, an intermediate shaft adapted to transmit rotational motion from said driving means to said card holder and said cam shaft in such a manner that the cam shaft is driven through one revolution in each carding operation, means for disengaging said driving means from said intermediate shaft, a single tooth lociing cam secured to the intermediate shaft, a locking lever adapted to be moved into engagement with said locking cam, means for retaining said lever in a disengaged position during a oarding operation, means for releasing the 'locking lever from said last-named means, and

means secured to the cam shaft for simultaneously effecting the disengagement of the driving means from the intermediate shaft and the release of the locking lever.

14. In a card winding machine, a rotatable control cam, a rotatable locking cam, a pivotally mounted lever having one of its ends adjacent said locking cam and adapted to engage therewith, a solenoid adjacent the other end of said lever, a circuit for energizing the solenoid, a switch in said circuit, and means rotatable with said control cam for opening said switch.

15. In a card winding machine a rotatable control cam, a rotatable locking cam, a power source, a clutch provided with a disengaging spring interpositioned between said power source and said two cams, a solenoid adapted to retain said clutch in its engaged position, a pivotally mounted lever having one of its ends adjacent said locking cam and adapted to engage therewith, a second solenoid adjacent the other end of said lever, a circuit for energizing both of said solenoids, a switch in said circuit, and means rotatable with said control cam for opening said Switch.

16. In a card winding machine, a rotatable control cam, a rotatable locking cam, a pivotally mounted locking lever having a locking tooth adjacent said locking cam and adapted to engage therewith, a solenoid adjacent the other end of said lever, a circuit for energizing the solenoid, a second lever for disengaging the locking tooth of said locking lever from engagement with the control cam,`a switch in said circuit adapted to be closed by motion of said second lever, a second switch in parallel with said first named switch, and means rotatable with said control cam for opening said second switch.

17. In a card winding machine, a rotatable control cam, a rotatable locking cam, a power source, a clutch interpositioned between said power source and said two cams, a solenoid adapted to retain said clutch in its engaged position, a pivotally mounted lever having a locking end adjacent said locking cam and adapted to engage therewith, av second solenoid adjacent the other end of said lever, a circuit for energizing both of said solenoids, a second lever for disengaging the locking end of said rst named lever from engagement with the control cam, a switch in said circuit adapted to'be closed by motion of said second lever, a second switch in parallel with said rst named switch, and means rotatable with said control cam for opening said second switch.

BENNETT C. CREED.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain of 1913 Number Number 

